Goods and services are widely available over the internet. However, purchasing goods and services on the internet often requires a preliminary internet search to locate a website providing a specific good or service desired by a user. In addition, after an appropriate website is located, the user must then also provide additional and detailed data to the website relating to (1) the user's identity, (2) billing information of a third-party relating to the user's source for purchase credit, and (3) user chosen delivery options. These data input tasks can be particularly challenging to a mobile user having a small form-factor mobile device, and especially due to the limited viewing access on the device for viewing the webpage and the smaller key-pad for providing data input through the device.
Within the telecommunications industry, and in particular with respect to the major wireless service providers in that industry, select goods or services can be associated with a numeric code known as a “short code” or Common Short Code (CSC) for access by a mobile user. Industry standard implementations of these CSC numbers are limited in that the CSC is merely used as a numeric code used for address identification and contains no other intrinsic function. Wireless service providers have deployed CSC short codes, which are phone numbers that are input via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages and forwarded by a user to the provider. Then the associated goods or services are ordered and billed for using the provider's billing systems.
In order for a distributor to obtain a CSC number for that distributor to associate with a good or service, the distributor must first lease or otherwise obtain a CSC number from a CSC trade association. Then the distributor must negotiate with each wireless service provider to support the leased CSC number. CSC numbers are unique within a domestic wireless service provider network system and only operate within an approving provider's network. When a distributor implements a CSC number this way, the distributor cannot use the CSC number internationally and the CSC number will have other cross-network limitations. Additionally, CSC numbers implemented this way through a wireless service provider's network do not operate through internet communication protocols for web-based applications.
The present invention is not in any way limited to just distributing a good or service associated with a Common Short Code (CSC). However, the systems and methods of the present invention provide for an alternate channel to distribute any good or service associated with a CSC, but without the typical difficulties associated with conventional CSC distribution channels, such as international boundaries or cross-network limitations. According to the present invention, these same goods and services can still be distributed through the domestic wireless service provider network systems in which a CSC has been approved. However, any regional, national or international communications network can be used in distributing the same goods and services.